281 4th St · York, SC 29745

$257,999

3 bd · 2.5 ba · 1,691 sqft · Townhouse · 41 Days on market

Built 2026 Good condition Est $249k · at est.

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Why this score? — see what drove the D+ grade

The composite is a weighted blend of 9 inputs, each scored 0–100. Each bar is that input's sub-score; the figure is the points it added to the 100-point composite (weight × sub-score).

• Cash flow +17.2/30.0
• ARV discount +5.8/15.0
• DSCR +5.4/10.0
• 1% rule +4.7/10.0
• Condition / age +4.0/5.0
• Livability +3.2/5.0
• Schools +3.0/10.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

The first floor of this two-story home is host to a spacious open floorplan that connects an inviting Great Room, breakfast nook and chef-inspired kitchen. There are three bedrooms located upstairs, including the luxe owner's suite, which features a spacious bedroom, en-suite bathroom and generous walk-in closet.

Key facts

• Breakfast nook
• Luxe owner's suite
• Open floorplan

Tags

• OPEN FLOORPLAN
• GREAT ROOM
• BREAKFAST NOOK
• CHEF-INSPIRED KITCHEN
• LUXE OWNER'S SUITE
• EN-SUITE BATHROOM

Property features AI

Finance

• Financial info: List price: 262249

Exterior

• Parking: 2 total parking spaces (including 2-car garage)
• Home design: Single-family new construction (Spec), Titan plan; Active listing
• Exterior features: Address: 281 4th St, York, SC 29745

Interior

• Bedrooms: 3 bedrooms
• Bathrooms: 2 full bathrooms and 1 half bathroom
• Interior features: Spec home (Titan plan); Living area of 1691

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/2.5-bath townhouse listed at $258k. Condition is rated good.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $185 ($2k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $249k (3.5% below list).
• Recommended offer: $249k (3.5% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• Cap rate 7.2% vs local median 4.6% in York — top-decile yield for the area; either an underpriced asset or a hidden risk that comps aren't pricing in. Stress-test before assuming the spread holds.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 65/100 on livability (#139 in SC) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: schools D-, crime F, amenities F.
• York 01 (rural): math 31% / reading 40% proficiency, ranked #41 of 80 in SC (top 51%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Market conditions: 541 active listings in the ZIP; 3 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 18d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); solid renter incomes; 2,550 units permitted in York County in 2024 (350 in 5+ unit buildings).
• This rent runs 38% of the median local income ($79k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $2k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $8k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• York County population projected at +44% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 41 days — a 3% lower offer ($250k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.

Recommended offer $249,088 (3.5% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 41 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
2. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
3. Schools are D-rated, which usually means shorter tenancies and higher turnover. Who's the typical renter profile here, and what's been the actual vacancy rate?
4. Crime grade is F in this area — have there been break-ins, vandalism, or insurance claims at this property in the last 3 years? What carrier currently insures it and at what premium?
5. The area grade is low — what's the realistic commute time and amenity access for the typical tenant pool here? Any planned neighborhood developments (good or bad) we should know about?
6. What's the average days-on-market for RENTAL listings here right now (not sales)? A rising rental-DOM trend means longer vacancies and softer asking-rent achievability than the comps imply.
7. What's the recent tenant-quality profile in this submarket — average credit score on applications, eviction rate, late-payment / NSF rate, and stable-employment percentage? A property-management company in the area should have these aggregated.
8. How much new for-sale + rental construction is in the pipeline within 1–3 miles? Heavy new supply typically softens prices + rents 12–24 months out; constrained supply supports both.

Investment metrics

• 1% rule: 0.97% ✗
• Cap rate: 7.15%
• Cash-on-cash: 3.07%
• DSCR: 1.14
• GRM: 8.6

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $248,577
• Comps found: 12

Show comp detail 12 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
624 Sparano Loop	0.18mi	3/2.5	1,691 (0%)	1mo	$267,429	$158	91
612 Sparano Loop	0.19mi	3/2.5	1,680 (-1%)	1mo	$236,599	$141	90
620 Sparano Loop	0.19mi	3/2.5	1,680 (-1%)	1mo	$224,999	$134	89
643 Sparano Loop	0.17mi	3/2.5	1,661 (-2%)	1mo	$235,000	$141	88
647 Sparano Loop	0.17mi	3/2.5	1,657 (-2%)	1mo	$237,649	$143	88
625 Sparano Loop	0.19mi	3/2.5	1,661 (-2%)	1mo	$245,000	$148	88
621 Sparano Loop	0.19mi	3/2.5	1,657 (-2%)	1mo	$225,849	$136	87
613 Sparano Loop	0.20mi	3/2.5	1,657 (-2%)	1mo	$225,849	$136	87
609 Sparano Loop	0.25mi	3/2.5	1,661 (-2%)	1mo	$256,000	$154	84
639 Sparano Loop	0.27mi	3/2.5	1,657 (-2%)	1mo	$243,132	$147	84
2024 Crooked Oak Ln	0.74mi	3/2.5	1,680 (-1%)	5mo	$250,000	$149	60
2018 Crooked Oak Ln	0.73mi	3/2.5	1,677 (-1%)	10mo	$247,000	$147	56

Match score weights: distance 35% · size 25% · config 20% · recency 20%. Top-matched comps best support the ARV.

Projected returns pro-forma

-3.0% appreciation · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: -11.4%
• Equity multiple: 0.58×
• Total profit: $-29,998
• Equity at exit: $38,468

10-year hold

• IRR: -2.2%
• Equity multiple: 0.85×
• Total profit: $-10,811
• Equity at exit: $22,307

Cash invested: $72,240 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 90 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State South Carolina: 90 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+6
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

5-day notice; preempted; landlord-favorable.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 29745

• Home prices YoY: -30.3%
• Active inventory: 541
• Price-to-rent: 8.6×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $2,491 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,353
• Tax est. 1.5%: −$322 /mo · $3,870/yr
• Insurance: −$107
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$523
• Net cashflow: $185

Break-even live

Break-even rent $2,257

Max offer price $257,999

Occupancy floor 88%

UW: 25.0% down · 7.5% · 30yr · 1.5% tax · 5.0% vac · 8.0% maint · 8.0% mgmt

Financing live

Cash to close

• Down payment: $64,500
• Closing costs: $7,740
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 3 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
495 Switch St York, SC	3.0	2.5	1928	$2,500	$1.30	3d	1	0.85mi
515 Trading Post Ln York, SC	3.0	2.5	1429	$2,300	$1.61	24d	1	0.90mi
53 Travora Cir York, SC	3.0	2.0	1156	$1,995	$1.73	18d	1	1.30mi

Listing history 14 events

1. 2026-06-18
   days on market $257,999 Active 41 DOM
2. 2026-06-17
   days on market $257,999 Active 40 DOM
3. 2026-06-16
   days on market $257,999 Active 39 DOM
4. 2026-06-15
   days on market $257,999 Active 38 DOM
5. 2026-06-13
   days on market $257,999 Active 36 DOM
6. 2026-06-10
   price $257,999 Active 32 DOM
7. 2026-06-09
   days on market $262,249 Active 32 DOM
8. 2026-06-08
   days on market $262,249 Active 31 DOM
9. 2026-06-07
   days on market $262,249 Active 30 DOM
10. 2026-06-04
    days on market $262,249 Active 27 DOM
11. 2026-06-03
    days on market $262,249 Active 26 DOM
12. 2026-06-02
    days on market $262,249 Active 25 DOM
13. 2026-06-01
    days on market $262,249 Active 24 DOM
14. 2026-05-31
    days on market $262,249 Active 23 DOM

ⓘ Source: listings_history table (triggers on properties + properties_extension) + one-shot backfill from property_details.listing_events for pre-trigger history.

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $29,891
• − Mortgage interest: −$14,452
• − Property taxes: −$3,870
• − Insurance: −$1,290
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$2,391
• − Management: −$2,391
• − Depreciation: −$7,505
• Taxable loss: −$2,009
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$482
• After-tax cash flow: $2,700/yr

For passive investors: Depreciation is non-cash, so a rental often shows a tax loss while cash-flowing — sheltering income. Rental losses are passive: they offset passive income freely, and up to $25,000/yr can offset ordinary (W-2) income if you actively participate and your MAGI is under $100k (phasing out to $0 by $150k); unused losses carry forward. On sale, claimed depreciation is recaptured at up to 25%, and gains may owe capital-gains tax (a 1031 exchange can defer both). Figures are a year-1 estimate at your 24.0% rate — not tax advice; consult a CPA.

Condition & rehab AI · 12 photos

Good 80/100 Cosmetic rehab

This two-story townhouse is in good condition with a modern and well-maintained interior and exterior. It is move-in ready and would benefit from a fresh coat of paint on the exterior siding and new curtains to enhance its curb appeal and rental value.

Value-add opportunities

• Resale Paint the exterior siding — Fresh paint can enhance curb appeal and property value
• Rental Replace the window curtains — Fresh curtains can make the space feel more inviting and modern

Renovation cost estimate screening

Value-add ROI direction

• Resale Paint the exterior siding — Fresh paint can enhance curb appeal and property value ↑
• Rental Replace the window curtains — Fresh curtains can make the space feel more inviting and modern ↑

ⓘ Cost ranges are severity-bucket heuristics (US national rule-of-thumb). Get contractor quotes + a written scope before underwriting a rehab budget.

Schools (NCES district)

• District: York 01
• NCES district ID: 4503810
• Math proficiency: 31% ▼ -16.00%
• Reading proficiency: 40% ▬ 0.00%
• Median HH income: $44,491
• Composite: 30.21/100
• National rank: #6305
• State rank: #41 of 80 in SC

Livability — York

• Score: 65/100
• State rank: #139
• US rank: #13425

Category grades

Amenities F Commute F Cost of living A+ Crime F Employment F Housing A+ Health & safety A+ User ratings C

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: York, SC
• County: York County · 281,758 people
• City population: 34,909
• Metro: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
• Population (ZIP): 34,909
• Household income: $79,117
• Rent vs Own: 16.1% rent · 83.9% own
• Severe rent burden: 321.0

Population outlook (York County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 307,757 people
• By 2030: 335,979 · +9.2%
• By 2040: 391,378 · +27.2%
• By 2050: 443,234 · +44.0%
• By 2075: 557,102 · +81.0%
• By 2100: 625,837 · +103.4%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (75%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 75% Black 12% Two or more races 6% Hispanic / Latino 6% Asian 1%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 4%
• Common ancestry: Romanian 3% Serbian 3% Italian 2%
• Foreign-born: 4% · Canada
• Languages at home: 94% English-only · Spanish 4%

Political lean MEDSL · York

• 2024 margin: R (+19.1) · D 39.7% · R 58.8% · Other 1.5%
• 2008→2024 swing: -1.4pp toward R · 2008: -17.7pp · 2024: -19.1pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+19.1 2020: R+16.5 2016: R+22.1 2012: R+20.5 2008: R+17.7

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -109.42%
• Current HPI: 251.6848
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 4.51%
• F500 in state: 2

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in SC)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Packaging	1	$7B